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Download Africa Geog MS - missstacy
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GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA BASIC FACTS Second largest continent Could fit 3 of the U.S. Most independent countries (54) 11,668,545 square miles that’s over 11 billion football fields. If you were to give each person on earth - that's almost 6 billion people - land in Africa, you could give everyone almost two football fields Pennsylvania = 46,058 square miles Approximately 253 PA’s would fit inside Africa! What is significant about Africa’s location? Location Distance north and south of equator 80% of Africa is in the TROPICS CANCER-CAPRICORN Climate: Warm all year REGIONS North Africa (Morocco-Egypt) West Africa (Sahel: Coastline) East Africa Central Africa Southern Natural Resources West: Gold Coast Copper: Zaire Platinum: S.A. Oil: Libya Looking at your large map…what do you notice about the elevation of Africa? Elevation Height above sea level Temperature drops as elevation increases Accra, Ghana: 80’s Nairobi, Kenya: 60’s LANDFORMS Mostly plateaus (Tilts to NW) Escarpments: Steep cliffs Cataracts: Waterfalls Landforms Great Rift Valley Volcanic activity Why historically, might this area be significant? The Great Rift Valley • Huge “cut” in the Earth’s crust • Extends from Syria to Mozambique • Formed when tectonic plates pulled away from one another – land slid between the plates creating a valley Land forms Escarpments Steep cliffs that divide the Plateau from the costal plain What do you think is the most important geographic feature of Africa? RIVERS Key to African society Why? Food Irrigation Transportation What major rivers exist in Africa? NILE Egypt Longest river (4160 miles) Early civilizations Aswan Dam ZAIRE Central Africa Can’t travel on Nile River Longest river in the world. 4160 miles. Played a key role in human development ASWAN HIGH DAM ASWAN HIGH DAM Why Built? Irrigation Feed growing population Power Protects vs flooding Symbol of Nasser’s Power NIGER ZAMBEZI Provides water Victoria Falls for farmers Kariba Dam Major source provides of fish hydroelectric power ZAMBEZI Kariba Dam provides hydroelectric power Negative Impact: The dam causes flooding in other regions Diseases have increased since its construction SCHISTOSMIASIS FROM PARASITIC WORMS 4 CLIMATE ZONES Tropical Wet Savanna Desert Mediterranean Tropical Wet Central and West Africa Avg Temp: 80 degrees Rainfall: 60-120 in Leaching: Minerals dissolved Disease: Malaria, Tsetse Fly West Africa Tropical wetHot humid, lots of rainfall Savanna Largest climate zone Grasslands Summer: Hot+Wet Winter: Warm+Dry Drought: Periods w/o rain Desertification: land into desert Savanna-½ of Africa is Tropical Wet and Drylargest climate in Africa little rain in Winter DESERTS Covers 40% of Africa Sahara LARGER THAN U.S. 10 YEARS W/O RAIN Kalahari: South Africa Namib: One of driest places Desert-Sahara-130 degrees Deforestation The process of land turning to desert Desertification could displace up to 50m people over the next decade Tree-planting schemes may put pressure on scarce water resources Desertification Video While you’re watching the video, pay attention to why deserts are GOOD. Plant life Energy MEDITERRANEAN Similar to California Mild climate and fertile soil Makes for good farming conditions South Africa Mediterranean-summers hot and dry, winters cooler and moist HEALTH CONCERNS Disease carrying insects Malaria kills 1,000,000 children Tsetse Fly: KILLS CATTLE TRANSMITS BLINDNESS Bliharzia: Snails that carry parasitic worms Malaria Malaria Malaria A TSETSE FLY -causes sleeping sickness The early phase entails bouts of fever, headaches, pains in the joints and itching. The second, known as the neurological phase, begins when the parasite crosses the blood-brain barrier and infests the central nervous system. This is when the characteristic signs and symptoms of the disease appear: confusion, sensory disturbances and poor coordination. Disturbance of the sleep cycle, which gives the disease its name, is the most important feature. Without treatment, the disease is fatal. If the patient does not receive treatment before the onset of the second phase, neurological damage is irreversible even after treatment. Dysentery Way of life Most live in the savanna Most are farmers Few hunters remain Cities growing Languages 1000’s are spoken Creates problems Swahili: Bantu and Arabic IGHT ARRIVES BETWEEN EUROPE & AFRICA Pre Class What does an Archaeologist do? ARCHAEOLOGIST Recreate the past Study the remains of ancient humans (both fossils & artifacts) Paintings on cave walls Tools, weapons, food, religion MARY AND LOUIS LEAKEY Worked in Tanzania in 1950 Found bone in rock 2,000,000 years old Africa was home to 1st people Paleontologist Studies fossils of man & animals Anthropologists Scientists studying physical and cultural characteristics of humans
